Log Cabin expands national ad campaign into Texas

The gay political group Log Cabin Republicans will begin airing its 30-second television commercial--which seeks to stop the Federal Marriage Amendment--in San Antonio this weekend during the Texas Republican Party state convention. "The antifamily constitutional amendment tramples on the principles of freedom and equality that the U.S. Constitution is meant to protect," said Log Cabin Republicans executive director Patrick Guerriero. "Supporting this amendment is a violation of the GOP's conservative principles." Log Cabin's commercial includes excerpts from statements made by then vice-presidential candidate Dick Cheney during his 2000 debate with Sen. Joe Lieberman. Referring to the legal recognition of same-sex relationships, Cheney said, "That matter is regulated by the states. I think different states are likely to come to different conclusions, and that's appropriate. I don't think there should necessarily be a federal policy in this area." Log Cabin kicked off its ad campaign on March 10. The Cheney commercial has been airing in Washington, D.C., and 11 states. "Leaders of the Texas GOP should understand that they can be good and loyal Republicans by opposing efforts to write discrimination into the Constitution," said Carla Halbrook, a Log Cabin national board member from Dallas. Republican senator John Cornyn of Texas has been one of the leading proponents of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would permanently block same-sex couples from obtaining marriage equality. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he has held several hearings on the measure. "Senator Cornyn should focus on addressing the issues that Texas families care about," said Texas Log Cabin president Andy Hendricks of Austin. "They're worried about the economy, jobs, education, homeland security, and the war in Iraq. Senator Cornyn and all elected Republicans would better serve their constituents by focusing on these issues rather than trying to make some tax-paying Texas families second-class citizens."